On venture of empowering special talents by providing job opportunities for adults with disabilities
Ventures ATL is a nonprofit corporation that is successfully providing meaningful employment to qualified adults with disabilities. This nonprofit is specifically envisioned to meet the market demand for qualified and interested workers for jobs that many adults with autism or other developmental disabilities are suitably skilled to hold. Ventures ATL is not a placement agency but rather an employer with its employees contributing to the operation of a portfolio of businesses which as aligned with the employee strengths. The office location is purposefully selected to be accessible to public transportation to facilitate employees dependent on public transit. Ventures ATL is a valuable pillar of our society that is motivating an inclusive workforce and giving an encouraging message to the rest of companies and industry to enhance inclusiveness for the betterment of the community.
Thank you Ventures ATL for your time and useful tips. Your positive steps towards an inclusive workforce are inspirational.
More Info
We hired our first employees with special needs in June 2017. (We have hired 3 employees so far and a 4th employee is in training. Our goal is to employ 10 adults by the end of 2018 and 100 five years from now.).
Work related questions:
Q: What kind of recruiting process is in place to employ candidates with disabilities?
A: We contact community partners who work with individuals with special needs and they identify candidates who have data entry/data management skills and product fulfillment skills. We also have a link on our website so that individuals may self-identify and apply directly to us.
Q: What kind of training is given to new employees to get them ready for the job? What is the usual training duration?
A: We have an orientation as well as team building exercises as a part of the on-boarding process. We do on-the-job training for our employees. Our on-boarding process is about 4-6 weeks, depending on the employee. Every work day we begin with a morning meeting so that every employee knows what he or she will be focusing on that day. We often use visual supports as well as cross-checking to ensure accuracy of our employees' work. We provide ongoing feedback to make sure that employees know what is expected of them.
Q: What is the general skill set that you look for in a candidate with disabilities?
A: - Must have the desire/motivation to work
- Must have the ability to get to work on time
- Must be able to stay on task, attention to detail, and precision
- Must have sustained focus on repetitive tasks
- Must have desire to see a task to completion
- Must have ability to communicate effectively with co-workers and manager
- Must be able to take meds independently
- Must have aptitude for data entry or product fulfillment jobs.
Q: What is your suggestion/tips for families of children with disabilities who want to get their kids ready for employment?
A: - Know what your young person with special needs' strengths are and try to develop their strengths as much as possible. Look for opportunities for them to show what they can do such as volunteering in the community and/or internships that give them a sense of pride and accomplishment.
- Give them responsibilities at home so that you have an opportunity to see their strengths and areas that need improvement. Remember to reinforce them for a job well done.
- Encourage them to take responsibility for their self-care, being ready for school or activities on time, and following a weekly schedule.
Q: What is the best way to accelerate awareness and promote an inclusive workforce?
A: Perhaps the best way to promote an inclusive workforce is simply to experience it. When people see what excellent work individuals with special needs perform (their consistency, their pride in what they do, their attention to detail, their loyalty and dependability), they begin to see them as valued part of the team who are providing real value to the company.
